Improvement in hat-ironing machines



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAELON S. DRAKE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'IO I-IIMSELF AND DAVID THOMPSON, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAT-IRONING lVI'ACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,437, dated August 21, 1866.

To all whom i! may concern:

Be it known that I, MAHLON S. DRAKE, of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Ironing Hats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the saine, reference being herein had to the drawings accompanying this specification, and which make part of the same. A

The nature of my invention consists in the manner of giving the indispensable motions to both the hat and to the irons; in providing for operating on all parts of a hat at the same time in the saine machine, and in the manner of holding the hat-block in the machine.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of the whole machine. Fig. 2 shows the holder of theiron for upper side ot' brim; Fig. 3, theiron for the body and the guide-block; Fig. 4, the hollow box-holder or chuck; Fig.'5, the vibratingV frame with bearings for the chuck; Fig. (5, the vibrating frame for iron for under side of brim; Fig. 7, the feed-motion; Fig. 8, the spring-catches and faceplate.

Upon the shaft z in the main frame A is placed an' upright frame, B, on the top of which are bearings for the short shaft y, Fig. 3. On each end of the shaft y is a face-plate, X and W. 'lo the plate W a wood block the same shape as the body of the hat is attached. Said block impinges against a `small roller, o, that is held in place by the adjustable arm u, attached to the upper bar of the frame A.

The hat-block is put on the face-plate X, bc ing held thereon by spring'latches t, that pass through and catch upon the back of the faceplate. The guide-block S is also held to the face-plate W in the same manner.

To one side of the upright frame B an arm, O, is so attached as to form a bearing for the sliding bar r, to the end whereof the iron q is fastened to operate upon the crown of the hat. A cord from the end of the bar r passes over a pulley, jp, having on its end the weighto, by which the requisite pressure of the iron upon the crown of the hat is given.

The frame B, oscillating on the shaft z, is drawn to the guide-block S by the weight D, and, when moving, the frame carries with it the arm C and the iron g, the same, as it carries the hat. Motion is given by the belt 3.

Another bearing, n, for a sliding bar, with the iron for the upper side of the brim on the end, held to the work by a weight the same as the iron g, is made fast to the main frame A, Fig. 2.

rl`he iron for the body of the hat is attached to an adjustable arm, lm., Fig. 3, on the upper bar ot` the main frame A, the irons being removable to allow of variations in forms ofthe irons to suit the various shapes of hats.

At one end of the main frameA is placed crosswise a vibratin g frame, E, Fig. 6. In the upper part of this lframe a slide, l, is given a perpendicular motion by the crank-wheel k on the shaft z and the connecting-rod j, said connecting-rod being double-jointed to allow the two motionsthe vibration laterally and the alternating perpendicular-reqnired to move the iron F to the under side ofthe brim of the hat as it descends', and keep it from the hat as it ascends. The bar i, fast to the middle of the frame E, rests on theirregular cainK, giving the required motion.

Another frame, G, Fig. 5, vibrates upon bearings attached to the main frame A,'said frame holding the shaft 7L, on the end whereof is the hollow box g, into which is put the block with the hat upon it, and in which the hat is held by the counter-plate f, pressed down by the set-screw e, Fig. 4, the counter-plate bee ing a spring.

A plate, d, to support the brim while the iron is pressing it and a loose guide-wheel for the outside of the hollow box g to rest upon 'are held by the bar c on an arm fast to the main frame A, a spring holding the box down to the wheel b.

On the shaft h is placed the feed-motion H, Fig. 7, operated by the arm a on the frame E by means of the rods 1 and the levers 2, which are so made as to be adjustable. The loose arm 5, Fig. 7, with its bent top, is pressed tight against the inner face of the rim of the wheel H, when the levers are lifted by the y rods and the arm a by the spring 6, and loosens with their descent the spring 7, bringing them down.

.When necessary to remove the hats from the y passing through a hole or over a pulley on the top of G and fast to q, will draw the iron back as the frame connesv forward. A light pressure upon the latches t allows them to pass out of the holes in the face-plate X. I l

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for ironing hats, an oscillating frame, B, to which is attached the hat-block and hat in such man ner that the side of the hat shall, as it revolves, be kept-in contact with a stationary iron, substantially in the manner set forth.

arranged substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the oval hat-block holder g, the spring f and set-screw c, for Vsecuring the hat, substantially as set forth.

6. So arranging the mechanism for actuating the reciprocating iron F and face-plate H, supporting the hat-block, that the hat-block shall be turned as the iron is ascending and remain stationary while the iron is traversing' the brim, substantially in the manner set.forth.

7. The iron F, when attached to an oscillating frame, E, and pitman j, moved by a crank, 7c, and actuated by mechanism so arranged that the iron F shall traverse one part ot its course away from and return in contact with the hat, substantially' asl set forth.

8. The guide-block S, of thesame oval as the hat, attached to a shaft on the oscillating *(the latter of which, at least, is attached to the oscillating frame) shall be Vadjustably controlled by cords and weights, substantially in the manner set forth. 1

MAHLON S. BRAKE.

Witnesses:

` `W. M. GooDrNG,

CnAs. l-I. SKINNER. 

